Snoddy and Side Alley
by LovesBrooklyn
Summary: Snoddy finds a sweet girl in an alley. One thing quickly leads to another and Snoddy finds himself being run out of town with only her by his side.
1. Chapter 1

_AN: In the summer of 2009, I published a story titled "Manhattan BackAlley." When I began writing fics again just recently, I reread the story and loved the characters but not the story line. So, I have set out to revamp it! When it's finished, it'll be a totally different story! Please, please review! _

* * *

She had been crouched in the corner of this dark alley for far too long. Her bones ached from hours upon hours of being immobile. She could feel the bruises and open sores covering what felt like every inch of her body. Just as her eyelids began drifting shut, a boy crouched down in front of her. She tried to register what was happening but found herself unable to get past his dashing good looks.

"Heya, miss," he whispered, taking his hat off politely. He seemed gentle enough. All she needed was a good night's sleep and some food. "How much pain you in? On a scale from one to ten," he asked. A smirk danced on his lips and his words were laced with amusement. She looked up at him blankly. Was he really joking around? At a time like this? He chuckled lightly. "Sorry, sorry. Just trying to lighten the mood! Come with me to the lodge house. We'll set you up with a bunk, some food."

She nodded, her mouth watering at the idea of food. "I can't…I don't think I can…" she stammered helplessly.

He raised an eyebrow. "Walk?" he asked. She nodded. "It's alright. I'se can carry you." He slowly pulled her up from her crouched position and held her in his arms like a groom carries his bride.

"Where are we going," she asked suddenly, after they had walked nearly five blocks.

"To the newsboys lodge house, miss. That's where I live," he answered. She did not respond so he continued, "With a bunch of other newsies. We pay rent there for a bunk and a little food and then sell during the day. I'll fix you up real nice when we get there!" She nodded absently, wondering if it was safe to trust him. She figured she'd wait to meet the others before she decided that.

* * *

She figured the boy would drop her outside of the lodge house and that she would have to walk through to where he was going to help her clean up but he did not. He kept holding her in the same position until they were right next to the door. He cleared her throat and looked at the doorknob pointedly so she grasped the knob and pushed the door open. He carried her through the lobby, where nearly a dozen boys stopped their card game to watch them as Snoddy carried her up the stairs. They shouted out questions over each other so loudly, she could not hear any of them clearly. In response, Snoddy simply bellowed, "Leave me alone for once! Damn."

The boy did not put her down until they were in a large wash room. He placed her, clothes and all, into a small tin tub. He paused and looked down at her. "You need a bath," he said bluntly.

She nodded and began peeling off her clothes, until she was wearing nothing but a small cotton black bra and underwear set. She didn't like what she saw on her body: colorful bruises already forming, large cuts and gashes, and general filth. Snoddy had looked away and was avoiding looking in her direction. "Pump the water for me," she asked quietly. He nodded and began pumping, still focused in the opposite direction. Once the tub was filled, he busied himself looking around in a linen closet for a clean towel and some medication.

She watched him carefully, splashing the water on her face and shoulders. She spotted a bar of soap on the counter within arm's reach and washed her hair and body with it. 'Soap is soap,' she thought to herself with a shrug. After a few minutes, she called out softly, "Will you help me out?" She saw him hesitate for only a second before turning around, crossing the room, and offering her his hand. She used it to steady herself while slowly standing up and stepping out of the tub. Without warning, he grasped her by the hips and swiftly placed her on the counter. She gasped, surprised, and immediately saw the regret in his face. "Oh, no, no," she murmured. "That didn't upset me. I was just…surprised." She smiled brightly so he would believe her. She knew he did when he giggled and shrugged sweetly.

"This here is alcohol. I'm gonna put it on your cuts and it's gonna sting like hell," he told her matter-of-factly.

She rolled her eyes. "I know what alcohol is." He chuckled and put some on a washcloth, then proceeded to dap it on her wounds. She cried out loudly a number of times and whimpering and breathing heavily from the pain. "Snoddy," she whined, begging him to stop.

"All done! You're such a brave girl," he teased. She punched him in the shoulder lightly. He began covering her wounds with a thick, clear salve.

"You're good at this," she said, watching his fingertips address her cuts.

He shrugged. "I've gotten in a lot fights. So have all the other boys. Gotta keep cuts from getting infected… As for the bruises…" He trailed off and she waited for him to continue. After a long, silently moment he did. "Time will heal those." She nodded and he sat down on the counter next to her. "So…you're a newsgirl, right? You got a place to live?" She looked up at him, surprised he knew that. She purposely didn't dress like a typical newsgirl. It was better for business. The people of New York generally did not like the dirty streetrats that sold papers and she strived to be a diamond in the ruff. He chuckled at her reaction. "I noticed the ink stains on your fingers. And there were like 25 papes littering that alleyway."

She sighed. "Yeah, I'm a newsgirl. And, no, I've been living on the streets for a while. Well, not on the streets really. I'm squatting in a storage unit downtown. Came from Harlem a couple months back, didn't like the crowd at the newsgirls lodge. Phased myself outta there." She shrugged. He jumped off of the counter suddenly and held his hand out to her. "Where are we going," she asked, accepting his hand and sliding off the counter slowly. Her bones and skin still felt achy.

"It's time for you to meet the boys," he exclaimed, flashing her a toothy grin.


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: Thank you for reviewing! Please let me know what you think! Review, review, review! _

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She followed Snoddy down the stairs and into the lobby silently. The boys rose and took their hats off when she entered the room. She raised her eyebrows at their manners. 'What a pleasant surprise," she thought to herself. 'These are definitely not Harlem newsboys.'

Snoddy began introducing her to the boys one by one. He simply told her their name and moved on. She knew he was not telling them her name because he did not know. She wondered why he had not asked for it. She found that telling the boys apart was not as difficult as she thought it would be; they all looked very different and, as expected from a crowd of newsies, had very unique name. Mush, Racetrack, Specs, Snipeshooter, Boots… The list went on and on.

"So, what's her name," Racetrack asked after the introduction were done.

Snoddy shrugged. "Jack has to name her."

"I have a newsgirl name already," I told him.

"Jack has to name you," Snoddy said. "Anybody living under this roof has to have a Jack Kelly or Spot Colon nickname. It's just how it works."

"That's exactly how it works," she heard a booming voice say and she looked up to see an unfamiliar boy in the doorway. "So, who's I gotta name, huh?"

Snoddy cleared his throat and stepped forward. "This girl. I found her. She's been kinda worked over."

Jack nodded. "I can see that."

Snoddy cleared his throat and said, "This is Jack Kelly, our leader."

Jack held his hand out to her. "Pleased to meet ya," he exclaimed in his thick accent. "Ya know, Snoddy," he said, turning away from her. "I usually don't like when you boys invite strangers into the house without my consent but this one is so pretty, I'll have to make an exception!" Snoddy smirked and stepped away to give them privacy. He knew Jack had to set the rules in place and give her a name but he did not step too far away. He considered this girl his responsibility and if Snoddy was good at anything, it was being responsible.

"Could I speak to you alone," she questioned boldly before Jack could say anything.

Jack nodded and cleared his throat. "Alright, boys, head up to the roof. All your breathing is stinking the place up," he ordered, addressing the boys.

The room suddenly became very hectic with all of the boys scrambling to collect their cards, marbles, and hats and to get roof before Jack could bellow any more orders at them. Using this chaos to his advantage, Snoddy grabbed her arm and pulled her ear against his mouth. "Do you want me to stay," he murmured, low and deep.

She shook her head slightly. "No, it's okay."

Snoddy hesitated, then sighed. "I'll be right outside the window. It's open. I'll be able to hear everything. Yell if you need me."

She nodded and before she could even blink, it was just her and Jack 'Cowboy' Kelly left in the lobby. She knew all about Jack and David and the crazy strike and how they stood up to Pulitzer and proved victorious. She knew all about it but, as much as it impressed her, she was not intimidated by Jack Kelly.

"So," Jack said, sitting on the arm of the couch. "Your name is?"

"Thought that didn't matter. Thought you had to name me," she replied softly, testing her boundaries only slightly.

"Well, seems to me like you're Snoddy's responsibility and that he's earned the right to name you." Jack paused before bellowing loudly, "Isn't that right, Snoddy?"

Snoddy poked his head through the window and smiled sheepishly. "Yes."

Jack smiled and Snoddy disappeared again. "So, forget the name thing. What happened to you?"

She sighed and began to tell him the whole story. "My bit for selling papes is 'a hug and a pape for just a penny.' It's truly harmless. I just give the men a one-armed hug and they keep coming back every day. They all think I'm only 13 so no one ever pushes for anything more. I relocated here from Harlem just two or three months ago. I spent a few weeks at the working girls lodge house but it was the wrong crowd for me...waitresses and bartenders and such. The roof over my head wasn't worth all the fighting and trouble, the bulls coming in everyday...no way! So, I started squatting in a storage unit downtown. One of the workers told me it belongs to some hoity toity gal who hasn't come by in three or four years but pays the bill every month. I wear her dresses and sell in a different spot within the same 15 block radius. It's a good set up. Yesterday, I decide to go just outside that radius. I was doing my usual routine, a hug and a pape, and it was all fine. Until, of course, these two boys- I kind of assumed they were brothers- came up and asked for ten papes. They gave me a dime. I gave them their ten papes- a dime is a dime, you know- and one hug each. I ain't going around hugging or cuddling into grown men. It's platonic. The boys, they didn't like that very much. They started following me on my short walk to this fruit stand I buy lunch from. Well, I never made it to the stand. They cornered me in that alley Snoddy found me in. I'm not totally educated on the streets of New York yet. I could have sworn that alley went through to the next street over!"

Jack interrupted her for the first time. "What alley?"

She hesitated before calling out. "Snoddy? Which alley was it?"

"4th and Broadway," Snotty called out. She smiled and Jack nodded.

"Continue," Kelly requested.

"Well, I ain't a total uneducated street rat. I jumped up and grabbed the fire escape; it was all folded up. I was climbing as fast as I could when the tall boy grabbed my ankles and ripped me down the ground. They started shouting about wanting what they rightfully bought. We got into a little bit of scuffle when one of the boys was holding me back when my arms behind my back and the other one was coming toward me. I don't like being touched, so I went a little bit crazy. I couldn't really take both of them though, not at the same time! And eventually, I just...played dead. It worked out pretty well for me... they got bored." She finished the story with an anticlimactic shrug.

"What did the boys look like," Jack asked curiously.

"Oh, um...well, pale skin and dark hair. Maybe 19, early 20's. Brothers, like I said. One of them had a mustache, I think," she answered with another shrug.

"Thought so," Jack said, angrily shaking his head.

"You know them," she asked, raising her eyebrows.

He ignored her question. "I don't want the boys to hear the story from you," he said. "I will call a meeting tonight, when you're asleep, and tell them. I'm going to stretch the truth a little bit. I'm just going to skip over the 'hug and a pape' thing, you understand? Now, come on. We'll go introduce you with your new name to the boys!"


	3. Chapter 3

_AN: You guys are great! Please keep reading and taking the time to review! Let me know if there's anything- plot points or characters or anything at all- you'd like to see!_

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Once Jack had gotten the boys' attention on the roof, he announced that he would not be naming the girl Snoddy had found. The response to this was very, very dramatic. The boys began murmuring amongst themselves. Jack named everybody, even if they didn't want him to.

"Is she going to use her old name," Mush asked, clearly confused.

"Who's naming her? I wanna name her," Racetrack bellowed over the other boys.

"I'll name her," Boots volunteered. "I'll name her...Penny! Cause her hair is the same color as copper."

Jack ignored them all. "Snoddy found her. Snoddy is going to take care of her. And Snoddy is going to name her." He turned to Snoddy, whose mouth felt dry and stiff. There was so much pressure riding on this! He couldn't believe Jack Kelly was letting him name the newest Manhattan newsie.

"Alley," he finally murmured. "Her name is Side Alley."

She looked up at Snoddy as he hesitated and then smiled brightly when he finally announced her new name. Side Alley. She could live with that. It wasn't her old name but it was new and it was Snoddy's and she liked it.

The boys murmured their understanding and came up to greet her by her new name. She shook their hands and kissed the younger boys on the cheeks sweetly. What a day! She had a new name and new friends and new roof to sleep under. She would worry about selling and retrieving her dresses from her storage unit in the morning. Tonight, she would play marbles and poker and get used to her new name.

* * *

Snoddy woke her up early the next morning, before Kloppman even wake the other boys up. She was staying in the sickroom. Kloppman had insisted on this because 'she was still too weak to protect herself if any of the boys tried anything.' Snoddy kept his mouth shut and kept it to himself that he would kill anyone who tried anything with her. The meeting last night between Jack and boys went well. Snoddy knew the real story about what happened to Alley, as he had heard it through the window, but he stayed quiet as Jack told the boys that Alley had sold the Delancey's 10 papes in exchange for the dime and had become one of their victims when they expected more bang for their buck. It was the true, after all.

Snoddy had woken up before the sun had risen as he was impatient to check on her cuts and bruises, make sure she was okay. It took everything in him to let her sleep a few extra hours. "Alley. Alley," her murmured, shaking her slightly.

She woke up with a slight lurch forward, her fists curling unconsciously. After realizing that it was Snoddy, she relaxed and laid back on the pillow, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Good morning," she murmured sweetly.

"I wanted to check on you," he said.

"Will you bandage my cuts now," she asked, sleep still laced through her voice.

"Yes, I brought the stuff in to do so." He held up the salve and bandages.

"I don't have to go into the washroom?"

"No, I can fix you up here." He wasted no more time and quickly began to bandage the large, raw cuts on her forehead and arms and back and legs. He worked quietly for a few minutes and she watched him gently fix her up.

"Snoddy, I need a favor," she said finally. He didn't answer and she continued, "I have some shoes and dresses and coats in my storage unit. I really need them. It's going to start getting cold. Could you...could you get them for me?"

"What number unit," he asked.

"24," she answered.

"Race and I will go tonight," he said simply, finally finishing all of the bandages.

"Thank you," she said, jumping off of the bed. "For everything."

He nodded, ignoring the thank you for the most part. "Let me help you into your dress." She let him hold the dress out and stepped into it. He carefully lifted it over her shoulders and laced up the back.

"Why are you being so nice to me," she whispered as he buttoned the top.

"I've walked past plenty of hurting people in that alley and never thought twice about it but you...something told me you were worth saving. Something told me you needed me," he answered softly.

"I can trust you? You won't leave when my cuts and bruises are gone?"

"No, you're family now."

* * *

Snoddy and Alley sold together that day. He was amazed how good it was for business to have a pretty young girl by his side. Around 8 in the morning, he knelt down to tie one of her shoes and pull up her socks for her and sold nearly half a dozen papes immediately after. Alley was good at selling papes too. She could hold her own. She didn't pull any of the 'hug and a pape' bit she had told Jack she used and sold plenty without it.

Around 11, Snoddy caught her sitting down on the curb with her face in her hands. He sat down next to her and, after a long moment, she murmured, "My body hurts." He didn't say a word, just picked her up like a bride again and began carrying her towards Tibby's. She buried her face in his shoulder and snaked her arms around his neck. The walk lasted about 15 minutes and he gently placed her down on the curb outside of the restaurant.

"What hurts the most," he asked, his eyes searching her face for the answer.

"My ribs," she whined. He nodded and led her into the restaurant. She sat down next to Racetrack silently and he leaned over and kissed the top of her head quietly.

Snoddy made sure Alley was settled and then disappeared. He poked his head into the kitchen window and hissed, "Hey, Rob. Rob!" His friend came to the window and he said, "Could I have some ice please? In a rag? One of us got into a fight and..." Snoddy didn't mention that he was referring to a new newsie, a girl newsie, or that the fight was yesterday. A minute later, Rob shoved a rag full of drippy ice into Snoddy's hand. "Thanks, man!" Snoddy could always count on Rob.

Snoddy quickly crossed the restaurant and passed the ice over to Alley. "Thank you, thank you," she murmured gratefully, pressing the cold ice to her sore ribs. "Thank you." He nodded and ordered them both a hot dog from the closest waiter.

* * *

Snoddy and Alley didn't sell the afternoon edition that day. Alley was moving too slowly when they left Tibby's after lunch and he didn't want to hinder her healing process or anything. He took her back to the lodge house and, at her request, carried her up to the stairs to the roof so she could enjoy the sun.

At dusk, after hours of reading side by side and talking about nothing, Snoddy stood up and started stretching his muscles. "Where are you going," she asked quickly, surprised he didn't want to spend the rest of the evening with her.

"To get your things," he told her. "Blink is going to come with me. We're leaving ten minutes after the sun sets." She nodded, surprised he was already fulfilling her request from just this morning. "What exactly do you need again," he asked.

"Everything...I mean, as much as it as you can grab. But Snoddy...none of it is mine, ya know," she admitted sadly.

"I know," he said chuckling. "Don't worry. Blink and I will take care of it. We'll brink Skittery and Race too, try to get everything you need.

Alley woke up the next morning to a room full of shoes and socks and coats and dresses and hair ribbons and hats, even a small mirror and, most importantly, a heart full of gratitude for her new family.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Alley quickly fell into a routine as an official Manhattan newsgirl. She slept in the smallest sickroom all by herself, complained to Kloppman daily that her rent was a half penny higher than the boys', and was woken each morning by Snoddy, who addressed her cuts and bruises every day until they were healed and helped her lace up her dress each morning and unlaced it each night. She sold with Snoddy every day and every afternoon. They took turns treating each other to a lunch of sour lemonade and peaches from Alley's favorite fruit stand, just as a thoughtful gesture since it cost the same every day and, when it came down to it, they were really just paying for themselves. After selling the evening edition, they would stop off in a bakery or deli and see what was left over and on sale. Sometimes, if they got a particularly good deal, they would find themselves bloated to the brim with burnt bread, stinky old cheese, and ham shavings. As early September became late September and the warm summer evenings began to cool, Snoddy began sneaking into Alley's room. He would crawl into her bunk beside her and, though they never touched, they would whisper about nothing and giggle and tease each other for hours until they fell asleep.

Snoddy and Alley did kind things for each other all the time. Alley scrubbed all Snoddy's clothes, giving them the first good wash they had ever had, and finally getting rid of the sweat stains on the shoulders and armpits. She mended the holes in the elbows of his shirts and let out the hems in his pants to get them closer to his ankle. Snoddy fixed the window in Alley's sick room and bought her pieces of pie for 3 cents each whenever she was having a particularly hard day.

As Alley fell into her routine, Snoddy fell into a new one around her. Long gone were the days in which Snoddy woke up to Snitch's dirty feet in his face and Kloppman yelling in his ear. Long gone were the day in which Snoddy sold by himself and sometimes went all day without speaking to a friend. Snoddy had always been "the doctor" of the group, the one the boys came to with black eyes and infected cuts that oozed all kinds of colors. But Snoddy had always been the shiest too. Though he trusted and loved his fellow newsboys, he never had much a personal connection with any of them. He mostly hung in the back with Itey and Jake, the other quiet newsboys and sold his papers without any fuss. But all of that was gone now.  
These days, Snoddy found himself at the center of attention. Since that day on the roof about five weeks ago in early September when Jack had announced Alley as Snoddy's responsibility, it had became very, very true. Sweet, outspoken Alley with her long brown hair and loud laugh was everyone's favorite. Though everyone had their own relationship with Alley, Snoddy was never far behind and wherever she went, the boys would instinctively separate a path for Snoddy to follow. He was always by her side and, as she began developing friendships with other newsboys, he did too. Through Alley, Snoddy was suddenly good friends with Kid-Blink and Racetrack and Boots and David and he couldn't have been happier.

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_AN: A short transition chapter today! I had originally planned on this chapter and the next two that will follow to all be one single chapter but it got way way too long so I had to configure it into smaller chapters. I hope you all are still reading and enjoying! Please review!_


	5. Chapter 5

AN: Please leave me a quick review if you are reading! I would really appreciate it! You guys are wonderful!

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One evening in mid October, Alley was playing marbles with Boots and Snipeshooter on the floor of the lobby when she saw Snoddy sneaking down the stairs and toward the front door. "Where are you going," she asked without even looking up at him.

"Out," he replied shortly.

"Out? You got an errand to run," she asked. Snoddy always took her everywhere. He never left her side so it didn't make sense for him to being doing something without her now. Still, she realized five weeks was a long time without time to be alone or with the boys, so she figured she better let him go.

"Yes."

"Okay. Pick me up a loaf of bread, if you have time," she requested, flipping him a nickel from her pocket.

"Got it," he said, taking the nickel and leaving her with one last smile.

She turned back to her game with Boots and Snipeshooter and continued to let them beat her round and after round. The older boys began coming into the lobby from the streets and each took a moment to touch her shoulder or kiss the top of her head in greeting. Alley was used to Race, David, and Blink doing this but...every newsie? She shrugged it off and decided to just appreciate the attention.

About an hour later, Kloppman came into the lobby and began looking over some paperwork at his desk. "Kloppman," she said sweetly, hoisting herself up on his desk.

"Alley," he said in response.

"What would you say, if I told I could give haircuts? Real barbershop haircuts," she asked.

"I'd ask where you learned to do that," he said curiously, looking up at her.

She smiled smugly. "The orphanage I grew up in in Harlem. The barber there had a soft spot for me, said I looked like his kid. He wanted me to be employable so he taught me how."

"What do you need to do it?"

"A good pair of scissors, a straight razor... and some shaving cream because I can do a real close shave too."

"And what are you...what are you asking for in exchange for your services, huh," Kloppman asked.

"Well, a cheaper rent, of course," she exclaimed.

"You're gonna have to prove it to me first," Kloppman challenged.

"Get me the stuff then," she demanded boldly. As Kloppman went into his backroom to get her the things she needed, Alley approached Boots and  
Snipeshooter. "Hey, Snipes," she asked sweetly, running her fingers through his untamed curls.

"Yes, Alley," he said, standing up and facing her like a gentlemen.

"Could you do me a favor? It'd mean alot to me," she cooed. She knew Snipeshooter had a crush on her because every morning as she and Snoddy left her room, he would be waiting outside the door. She would give him a kiss on the forehead and he would run off to tell Boots about it. Alley planned to use this to her advantage.

"Sure, what is it," he asked eagerly.

"Could I play barbershop on you? I need to prove to Kloppman that I can cut hair. It'll get my rent down...you think you can help me?"

Snipeshooter opened and closed his mouth, clearly panicking and not knowing what to do. "It's just hair! It'll grow back," Boots hissed at him and Snipeshooter hesitantly nodded his agreement.

Alley giggled and took both boys by the hands up to the washroom where Kloppman had all of the things set up for her. She dunked Snipeshooter hair under the sink to wet it, then lifted him onto the counter and began to trim his long curls. She started by first getting them out of his eyes and then away from his ears and neck. After trimming all round his head to the length she liked, she trimmed the top to match. As she worked, she could see Boots' eyes getting wider and wider with surprise. When she finished, he took off into the bunk room, shouting, "You gotta see Snipes hair! Ya gotta see it!" A minute later, as Alley was removing the towel from around Snipeshooter's shoulders, boys began piling into the washroom to see his hair. They all mumbled their approval and, speaking over each other like always, began asking for their own cut.

Alley lifted Boots onto the counter and swatted at Mush's chest with a towel. "Y'all are crowded the place up! Go on! I'll call ya in when I'm ready for you," she exclaimed. Chuckling, the boys filed out.

Before Alley could dunk Boot's head in the sink, he whispered, "I have different hair than Snipeshooter, you know."

"I know," she said, with a shrug. "Everyone's hair is different."

The next two or three hours passed quickly with each newsboy coming in shyly to get their hair cut by Alley and emerging handsome and well groomed. Although it took a little prodding, Alley gave the older boys close shaves. In the bunk room, the boys teased each other and fought over whose new haircut was best. Even Les and David came over to get their haircuts.

"Now, you make sure to tell Sarah and your mother that I can cut and style female hair too," Alley exclaimed to David as worked through his tangled curls. "You know, you might want to try a comb everyone once in awhile."

As she worked, Alley counted off every boy whose hair she cut. Finally, she realized that she had cut 40 heads of hair but not Snoddy's. She frowned at this and wondered if he'd returned from his errands. As she finished cutting Les' hair, she told him, "Go into the bunkroom and send Snoddy out to me, would ya?"

Les nodded and, as soon as she finished, ran off, eager to complete her request. However, he returned a moment later with wide eyes and a confused frown. He was followed closely by Blink.

"Heya, Alley," Blink said loudly. "Thanks for cutting our hair today. You sure did great work!"

"You're welcome! It was fun," she said with a wide smile. "Where's Snoddy? I didn't cut his hair."

Blink hesitated, opening and closing his mouth a few times.

"Just tell her," Les hissed before Blink could clapped his hand around his mouth.

"Tell me what," Alley asked, stepping toward them to enter the bunkroom.

"Boys only, Alley," Blink said lamely, blocking her path.

"MOVE, BLINK," she shrieked loudly at an ear-splitting frequency. Blink winced and was caught off guard when Alley used her bony elbows to push past him into the bunk room. She kept pushing her way into the room, past David and Bumlets and Itey, until she made eye contact with Snoddy.


	6. Chapter 6

_AN: Wishing I had more readers and reviews! A big thank you to those you are still following this story! It's going to start getting good now!_

* * *

Snoddy winced when he heard Alley shrieking at Blink from the washroom. He had been sitting on his bunk for the last thirty minutes, ignoring the boys questions and curious glances. His knuckles were raw and bloody and he could feel two black eyes coming in quickly. He had been waiting for Alley to finish with the boys hair. His plan was to sneak into the bathroom after she was done, clean himself up, and then sneak into her bunkroom in the dark and hope that she wouldn't notice until the morning. Clearly, that plan was out the window now that she stood in front of him, eyes wide with confusion and breathing heavily.

"What is this? What happened," she asked loudly to no one in particular.

After an awkward moment of silence, Kid-Blink answered, "He ain't talking about it to anyone...but we've got some of an idea."

Snoddy cleared his throat and reached beneath the bunk. He pulled out a small brown paper bag and said in a clear, calm voice, "I got your bread."

She took the bread and sighed, clearly softening. She sat down next to him on the bunk and opened her mouth as if to speak to him before stopping to look around the crowded room. "Let's get out of here," she whispered to Snoddy quietly.

He nodded, stood up, and followed her out of the room. He could feel each pair of eyes on him but he kept his eyes focused on the back of Alley's head. As he left the room, he heard Racetrack say, "Well, that was kind of weird."

In response, Jack yelled, "Hey! Mind your own business!"

Alley held the door open for Snoddy and waited patiently as he shuffled in and took a seat on her bunk. She knelt down and began unlacing his boots for him and waited a long minute before saying, "So? What happened? Start talking."

Snoddy sighed. "It was nothing. I just went out to get your bread and one thing led to another." He wasn't much with words, even with Alley.

"Oh please," she exclaimed as she sat back up. "You left this place with trouble in mind."

He sighed again. "I ran into the Delanceys," he finally admitted.

"You ran into them or you went looking for them?"

"I went looking for them. I took care of them."

"Snoddy," she scolded. "What did you do?"

"I worked them over even worse than they worked you over," he answered calmly.

"That was nearly 6 weeks ago," she reminded him.

"That doesn't mean I had forgiven them for it," Snoddy informed her. "The more time we spent together, the angrier I got about it!

Alley ripped off two hunks of the bread, handed one to Snoddy, and began chewing on the other. "You beat them up...all by yourself," she finally asked after a long moment of silence. He nodded. "How bad?"

"Real bad," he answered quickly. "I didn't know when they're going to come to so I hid them in some crates behind a packing house."

"We have to get you cleaned up," she said suddenly, as if it had just crossed her mind. She proceeded to led him into the washroom and began addressing his cuts just like he had done for her. He told her how he had found the Delancey brothers hanging around the distribution center, messing with some shoe-shine boys and how he had gotten the kids money back before Snoddy had cornered Oscar and Morris.

"It was easy," he whispered softly as she covered each of his knuckles in clean, white bandages.

"It was easy?" She repeated.

"Yes, because I was so, so angry." Snoddy proceeded to tell her that he had used their own brass knuckles on them and a lot of other details Alley wished she could forget.

An hour later, as they laid side by side in Alley's bunk, Snoddy voice cracked as he whispered, "Alley, those boys are good as dead." Alley bit her lip hard to keep from crying out. That's what she was afraid of. She sat up in bed and guided Snoddy's head into her lap. He rested there gratefully and wrapped his arms around her legs. "I went too far," he admitted, his voice muffled against her leg. "I went too far."


	7. Chapter 7

_AN: Please keep reading and reviewing! You guys are awesome!_

For the first time, Alley woke up first. Snoddy's head was still resting in her lap and she decided to shimmy down into his arms to rest against his chest where it was warmest. She sighed and tried to ignore his two purple and blue shiners.

She must not have been as smooth as she thought she was being because her movements woke Snoddy up before she was even totally in his arms. She gasped and giggled, caught red handed as Snoddy woke up. "How are you feeling," she asked, softly brushing his long hair away from his swollen eyes. "Can you even see?"

"I'm fine. I just need to rest today," he answered.

She nodded quickly. "Okay. We'll stay here today."

"No, Alley. You need to sell," Snoddy insisted.

"Why? Why do I need to sell," she demanded.

He sighed. "You need the money, Alley. Come on. Plus, it'll get suspicious if we both just disappear today. Go and tell Weasel I'm sick. You can do that for me, can't you?"

She stuck out her bottom lip childishly, as a last ditch effort, and whined, "I can't sell without you!"

"It's just one day," he promised. She pulled her dress out of the closet and stepped into it, facing away from Snoddy. After an awkward moment of silence, Snoddy crossed the room and opened the door, letting in a very sleepy Boots. "Boots will help you with your dress," Snoddy announced. He knew he couldn't do it himself, with his bruised and raw knuckles. Alley stood perfectly still as little Boots stumbled with the ribbon and buttons on the back of her dress. Though it took twice as long as usual, Boots did a fine job.

Finally, Snoddy and Alley found themselves alone. "I like when you do it better," Alley muttered.

Snoddy smiled sadly and opened the door out of the bunkroom for her. "Blink will sell with you today. He knows our routine," he informed her.

She peered out of the room and saw Blink standing there patiently. She nodded slowly, hesitant to take on the day without Snoddy. Finally, she stepped out and greeted Blink in the hallway. On the way to the distribution center, Blink made polite small talk, thanking Alley again for the haircuts and joking about who's shave was closest. Finally, he asked, "How's Snoddy?"

"He's fine. I can take care of him," Alley answered honestly, smiling at Blink politely.

After they bought their papers, Alley was surprised to see Blink heading in the direction of her and Snoddy's selling spot near the factories downtown. "We can...we can sell near the harbor with Mush like you always do," Alley assured Blink.

Blink chuckled and winked at her. "No can do, doll. I'm under strict orders from Snoddy."

Sure enough, throughout the day, Blink did all of the things Snoddy would have done. Clearly, Snoddy had educated him well. Blink tied Alley's shoes for her, held her hand while she sold her last few papes (it was a system Alley and Snoddy had perfected and it really did work), knew exactly what to order Alley for lunch and how much it cost, and even knew what deli to stop into after selling. Alley was quite satisfied with it. Even though Snoddy couldn't be there, he had made sure she wasn't alone. For the millionth time, Alley thought of how grateful she was that she had Snoddy as a selling partner and best friend.

Alley was grateful that it was Sunday and the owner of the deli was itching to get rid of all of his stale products that had piled up during the week. Alley was able to buy plenty of burnt bread and old ham for Snoddy to fill his belly with. She hurried back to the lodge quickly, a distracted Blink following behind gnawing on a large hunk of bread. She rushed through the lobby and into her sick room to find Snoddy snoozing on the bed and Snipeshooter sitting on the windowsill, reading a week old paper casually.

"Figured you'd want me to keep an eye on him for you, doll face," Snipeshoter cooed sweetly.

She smiled at him brightly, appreciative of the gesture. "How long has he been sleeping," she asked, brushing his hair from him eyes to examine his injured eyes.

"Oh, well, all day," Snipeshooter answered.

"All day? You've been here all day? You mean, you didn't sell today?"

"No," Snipes answered. "Blink took care of you and I took care of Snoddy for you. Did I do a good job?"

"You did a great job," she assured him and sent him off to play with Boots. Carefully, she woke Snoddy up. "Snoddy! I have ham for you," she cooed in a sing song voice.

Slowly, he woke up and pulled himself upright. He put his arms up to rub his eyes and she quickly grasped them before he could. Finally, coming to his sense, he looked up at her and smiled. "Al," he said simply. "How was your day?"

"I heard a rumor you slept all day," she said, handing him the napkin full of ham shavings. He nodded and hungrily ate the food she offered him.

"Snoddy how are you gonna sleep tonight now," she exclaimed.

"Whatcha gonna do about it," he teased, pursing his lips saucily.

She rolled her eyes and laughed, brushing his long hair from his eyes for what felt like the millionth time. "Come on! You need a haircut," she exclaimed, before leading him into the washroom and making him even more handsome, if that was possible.


	8. Chapter 8

_AN: A shorter chapter today! It's been hard to update as I'm starting my freshman year of college and trying to adjust the best I can! Please review!_

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Alley knew Snoddy won't be ready to sell the following day, he was still stumbling around blindly from the terrible shiners, and she expected to sell with Blink again. Imagine her surprise when none other than Jack Kelly was standing outside her sick room waiting for her the following day.

Without saying a word, she turned around and lifted her hair. He finished lacing her dress for her and completed the task with an awkward pat to her shoulder. She smiled up at him and, looking around, said, "Where is Blink?"

Jack grinned. "He won't be selling with you today. You'll be with me!"

She couldn't help but giggle. Jack Kelly's smile was contagious. "Perfect," she exclaimed and they hurried down the stairs and through the lobby on their way to the distribution center. On the short walk there, Alley spotted Blink walking with Mush on the opposite side of the street and waved but he hung his head and avoided his glance. Surprised and embarrassed, Alley looked up at Jack to see if he'd caught on to what had happened. She was sure he did, of course, because he was growling up a storm and his nostrils were flared up in anger.

"I'll take care of him. Don't you worry," Jack huffed. "Don't you worry."  
"Jack...why isn't Blink selling with me today," Alley asked slowly. She was confused and trying to get a grasp for the situation.

"Well, you see, last night in the bunkroom Blink wouldn't quit blabbering about you and your day together and how he got to hold your hand and stuff. So I told to steer clear of you and that the only person who was going to sell with you besides Snoddy is me," Jack explained proudly, his chest sticking out.

"You didn't let Blink sell with me today because he enjoyed selling with me yesterday," Alley asked, even more confused. They were approaching the distribution center now. The bells had already rang and the boys were waiting around for Jack to get his papers first.

"No, I didn't let Blink sell with you because he was getting attached to you. And you belong to Snoddy," Jack answered, parting the crowd and leading her to the font of the line. Their conversation ended there as Jack approached Weasel in the window and asked for 'da usual.' Weasel gave him his hundred papers and SideAlley stepped up to buy her merchandise next.

"90 papes," she requested, holding out her hands to receive her papers.

"Where's your friend, girl," Weasel sneered in response, holding out a hand to stop the boy who was handing Alley her papers.

"Right here, Weasel. I'm right here," Jack answered for her, looming behind her protectively and placing his hands on her shoulders.

"No, the other one. You know, the one who follows her around," Weasel asked, glaring at Alley.

"He doesn't follow me around! And he's just got sore throat so Kloppman said he could sleep in," Alley exclaimed, glaring right back at him.

"Don't worry about it, Weasel. Don't worry about it," Jack cooed, always the leader, as he took Alley's papes off of the counter and followed her out of the distribution center. "Alley! Alley!" Jack called after her, running a bit to catch up to her.

"I wanna go back to Snoddy," she growled when he did.

"Al, there's nothing to worry about. Me sources tell me that Oscar and Morris are doing better than expected and aren't talking to the Bulls. Snoddy's fine. Stay awhile. Sell some papes," he said, flopping the heavy 190 papes into her arms.

She giggled and swayed a little bit under the weight until Jack laughed and took the stack back.

* * *

Alley had a fine day selling with Jack. He was kind and courteous and, like Blink the previous day, knew exactly the routine she followed with Snoddy. Once again, it was as if she had a part of Snoddy even in his absence.

That evening, Alley once again raced back to the lodge to check on Snoddy. Unlike the previous day when Snipeshooter had been in her sick room with him, she found Boots laying on the floor next to her bunk and a sleeping Snoddy.  
"How ya doin', kid," she asked, happy to see Snoddy hadn't been left alone.

"Good! Snipes said since Blink sold with you and he watched Snoddy yesterday, Jack and I were supposed to take over today," he informed her, scrambling up from the ground.

"That is very kind of you! Thank you," she said sweetly and he took off with a nod.

She roused Snoddy from his sleep gently and was just starting to tell him about her day when she heard a crash and a bang from downstairs. They looked at each other confused and continued talking, figuring Race and Skittery were just at it again. But, just a short minute later, Boots came scrambling back into the room, clearly frightened.

"It's da Bulls," he exclaimed. "It's da Bulls!"


	9. Chapter 9

Wishing I was uploading more :( Something short for y'all! Please rate and review so I have some motivation to keep at it!

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Chapter 9:

"Calm down! Calm down," Alley exclaimed, grasping Boots by the shoulders. "Who are they asking for?"

"Everyone," Boots answered, wide-eyed and frightened.

Alley sighed and shook her head, confused. "Where's Kelly," she demanded.

"He's coming," Boots said and stepped away, just in time as Kelly came crashing through the door and scooping Alley up in his arms.

"You're here," Jack exclaimed. Realizing what he had done, he set her down awkwardly, keeping his eyes on Snoddy and clearing his throat. "Looks like the Delancey bruddahs finally spoke. Da Bulls are down stairs and asking for everyone who stays here."

"So, what's the plan," Alley asked, sitting down on her bunk next to a very quiet Snoddy. "Snoddy can't go down there."

"Da plan is that Snoddy will stay up here, in the bunk, wrapped in blankets and facing away from the door and coughing. Alley, you'll stay here too. We'll call each of you different names and tell the Bulls you're hired help who comes in to do laundry and cut our hair and take care of the sick boys, got it?"

"Got it," Alley said with a nod. Jack ushered Boots out of the room and, just as he was leaving himself, Alley stood up and leaned out of the doorframe to whisper in his ear, "You never let me down, Jack Kelly."

There was a brief moment after she whispered to him that seemed to stretch forever. Jack Kelly turned back to her, with the saddest smile she'd ever seen on his lips, and whispered back, "Things would be different if you didn't belong to Snoddy."

Alley had already known this. She knew Jack avoided her for good reason and she knew of the way he spoke about her behind closed doors. "You made me his responsibility," she reminded him, quietly as she could so Snoddy wouldn't hear her.

His smile turned even sadder. "And don't I regret it," he said somewhat bitterly before turning away from her and marching down the stairs, all business, all leader, all Jack Kelly.

Alley gave herself just one fleeting second to watch Jack Kelly, all lengthy six feet of him, head down the stairs to the lobby, where she knew he would gather his composure and do what he could to come through for her and Snoddy. That moment was short lived and she quickly returned back to the sick room, where Snoddy had already resumed his role of facing the window and pretending to be asleep. So, Alley settled into the seat next to him and began chewing her nails while studying the back of Snoddy. His fresh haircut, dirty neck and manly ears were so familiar to her- she'd spent so many nights falling asleep to them. And she knew the spot in her heart Jack wanted to fill was already occupied.


End file.
